National Medical Commission (NMC)
The National Medical Commission (NMC) is currently developing new guidelines to assess candidates with disabilities in medical courses.
These guidelines have been formulated by a 16-member expert panel which was set up after the Delhi High Court directed the National Medical Commission to explore the possibility of candidates with disability pursuing some disciplines (if not all) of medical education.
About National Medical Commission (NMC):
National Medical Commission (NMC) is a regulatory body which regulates medical education and medical professionals.
In 2020 NMC replaced the Medical Council of India (MCI).
NMC was constituted by an act of Parliament known as the National Medical Commission Act, 2019.
Four autonomous boards:
The National Medical Commission consists of four autonomous boards
- Under-Graduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB),
- Post-Graduate Medical Education Board (PGMEB),
- Medical Assessment and Rating Board and
- Ethics and Medical Registration Board
Functions of National Medical Commission
- The Commission grants recognition of medical qualifications
- The Commission gives accreditation to medical schools
- The Commission grants registration to medical practitioners
- The Commission monitors medical practice and assesses the medical infrastructure in India.
The panel recommends recommended that everyone should be allowed to pursue a medical course. They propose that candidates with disabilities exceeding the 40% benchmark should be eligible to compete for the 5% reserved seats under the quota for persons with disabilities. These recommendations align with disability guidelines followed in countries like the UK.
